"Rise and shine sunshine!" Groaning, I scowl at the chirpy chipper voice taunting me almost as I groan, curling in on myself from the robe coiled around me like a cocoon.
"Go away…" Whining, I groan releasing a small muffle.
"Hey, you wanted to be taught how to be useful now come on." Sternly, he orders me making me groan as he tugs at the coat.
"But…sleep." Whining, I draw out.
"But deaaal…" He counters tugging as I release a small squeak as he easily finishes playing nice as he pulls the coat over me, making me squeak as my body tumbles out of the drape groaning. I am greeted by the cave floor.
"Urgh I hate you, you're so childish!" Aggravated, I scowl, huffing grumbling cursing under my breath as I look around the cave raising a brow at the many books in different languages of a diverse range, noting a few books named fault in our stars. Some of them I recall from earth, my eyes widening at earth history but note a sketchpad, my eyes widening in awe at the beautiful, detailed sketches of a woman
She is beaming brightly in the picture, but I note the numerous smudges and angry scratches on the detailed piece looking almost angrily frustrated over the piece as she scratches out the woman. I continue exploring only to stop just as I am about to look into another. I feel a hand harshly grab my wrist making me hiss and look up at the glaring Vesper.
"Out now." Snarling, he pushes me out of the cave making me hiss cradling my bruised arm but sigh bowing my head.
"Who was she?" Bravely, I question him.
"None of your business." Coldly, he snaps.
"Why not?" I question only to flinch back from his harsh glare as I bow my head as he exhales tiredly noting my throbbing wrist.
"I…I'm sorry I just…" Apologetically, he sighs guilt etched into his tone as we kneel down, him getting out a first aid kit as he tends to my wrist.
"She was important to you wasn't she?" Gently, I whisper as he bows his head pained.
"She was…" Shakily, he begins pain etched into his tone.
"What happened to her?" Lost, I enquire.
"What do you think?" Shapely, he snaps making me flinch back.
"I'm sorry." I apologize bowing my head I shouldn't have asked…
"It's…it's fine. You didn't know. You know nothing…" Bitterly, he whispers confusing me as he turns his back to me tossing me a staff surprisingly enough.
"I am amusing now come on we made a deal and I never go back on my word." Resolute, he tells me.
"Fine by me." I sigh as together we both nod and he charges at me as our training begins...
Loudly, the clash and ring of metal echoes in the soft snow winds crashing down upon us as we share blows from left to right. Smirking, I dodge roll out of the way as he attempts to slice at me with his tail but fails to do so.
"You're not bad you're sword work is pretty good…you're also pretty good with your hand to hand combat." Impressed, he hums out loud as we sit down, perched on the end of some cliff, the concept of time having been tossed into the harsh winter winds.
"Thanks I did some street fighting when I was a kid." Tightly, I smile.
"Street fighting?" Surprised, he raises a brow at me as I lean back, hearing the faint crunch of snow from my bandaged hands.
"Yeah I was sorta…a devilish rogue." Cheekily, I remark making him chuckle.
"Right…" He rolls his eyes.
"What's your excuse? You read my moves like a book and your moves were pretty fluid." Curious, I question him fascinated.
"I've been fighting my entire life." Grimacing, he exhales looking sadly down at the dark abyss below him as my eyes soften, recalling the books scattered in his cave, recognizing a few from the Harry Potter series, lord of the rings to even some on Mewni culture.
"And drawing?" Fascinated, I arch a brow noting his body tense.
"I used to draw a lot not much anymore, just brings back bad memories." Pained, he whispers as I quietly nod my head knowing not to question.
"Never had a break?" Confused, I furrow my brow.
"Eh now and again. If I wasn't being watched." Grumpily, he huffs.
"Who taught you?" I enquire.
"My father, he is a man of…few words." Aloofly, he remarks to me.
"And you plenty…" Slyly, I remark making him chuckle as I note a small shy smile on his lips only to falter.
"He has no soul. He is the definition of a monster." Darkly, Vesper snarls disgust, anger and hatred laced in his tone, surprisng me as I note behind the malice, a gentle, sadder, disappointed lies within.
"You think so?" Quietly, I whisper my brow furrowed.
"I know so. He was the one who got me into drawing, he used to love them, but things changed, he died." Darkly, he whispers pain etched into his distant hues.
"So…whose you're friend?" Curious, I question as I glance at the slumbering dragon cycle thing have rested in the cave and still is.
"That lazy beggar. This is Druk, had him since I was a kid, he's been there for me during the bad times and good times. He may seem grumpy but inside he has a heart of gold." Fondly, Vesper informs me making me smile softly at the genuine care in his tone.
"He's cute…" Softly, I smile as he comes over, his eyes narrowing only then to soften surprisingly as I approach, reaching out and petting him making him coo, leaning into my touch making me beam at the cutie.
"Cute? Druk is amazing, I mean sure those scales are just adorable! But…don't tell anyone I said that." Excitedly, he gushes, his tone turning high pitch until coughing, trying to be manly as he turns to face me.
"Who would I?" Smirking, I prob making him smirk at my valid point.
"Fair point." He smirks only then for us to hear the high pitch scream of dread making us both turn and nod, recognizing that scream anywhere…got you now Ludo…
"Having fun up there Ludo?" Proudly, I declare smirking up at the trio, Ludo glaring down at me while his bird and spider companion thrash about in the net.
"You…you should be dead!" Angrily, he roars at me as my eyes widen when the spider uses its sharp talon like legs to snap the rope, cutting it open as the spider extends its legs out, its thin disgusting legs digging deep into the soft snow below with Ludo, using the bird's wings outstretched to land down on the spider.
"Who's hanging now!?" Cackling, Ludo declares at me pointing at me, waving about a familiar set of scissors making my eyes narrow at him.
"Well technically its not me, it's none of us…" Calmly, I begin, hands entwined.
"Making your insult invalid." Smoothly, Vesper finishes making us both smirk high fiving one another at our smarts.
"You shut up!" Angrily, he snaps at me.
"Gimme my dimensional scissors!" Sternly, I demand from him.
"Never!" Ludo roars.
"Then torture it is." Vesper decides drawing out a familiar staff passing it over to me which I easily catch twirling the weight of my staff. Together, we charge towards the spider and bird, my brow furrowed as I hear the frantic crunch of snow as the spider pounces on me making me raise my staff, slapping the spider aside. I lunge forward, striking the end of the star into the bird's gut making it spit out salvia and some bugs, making me grimace as I kick the eagles head to the side causing it squawk in pain. Annoyed, I glare approaching Ludo, trying to use his scissors as some sort of weapon only making me smirk as we doge one another attacks until…
"Batter up!" I smirk internally in my mind as I score a home run, the small ball that is Ludo hits the tree making him groan. Defeated, he slides down the oak tree, snow comes crashing down his head, engulfing him into a crisp snow sheet of white.
Smirking, I whistle as I twirl my staff about humming as I approach the groaning green mess below me arms outstretched, welding both dimensional scissors. Quickly, I pluck mine from his claws making him moan, his vison no doubt blurry as I smile.
"How's it feel now Ludo?" I smirk down at the fool standing up proudly while I twirl my staff as I see the spider curl in on itself. Scared, the hawk limps away trying to shelter Ludo almost, the two looking fearful terrified of Vesper who whistles. Angrily, Druk attires spewing fiery flames from his snout, terrifying the creatures into hustling back fearful as Vesper approaches their camp, stealing a few bags of fish.
"What did you think?" Proudly, I question Vesper chuckling as I approach him noting his hand gently caressing Druk, who purrs leaning into his master's touch. Softly, I place my hand on his snout making him coo appreciating the comforting gesture.
"Pretty good girl, pretty good…" Vesper compliments me making me smirk pride etched into my features feeling a new sense of pride and confidence flow through me at my achievement. The crisp cold air of the winter not fazing me in the sheer slightest.
"Thanks I learned from the best." Teasingly, I wink snickering as Vesper crosses his arms, a proud smirk engraved into his razor-sharp fangs as he leans against Druk, rolling his eyes at the smug male. Quietly, I draw out my scissors, Star's scissors, twirling them about in my forefingers, looking up in awe of the gleaming beauty that are Star's scissors, releasing a small sigh of relief.
"You're lucky though if she found out about this. You would be long gone." Smirking, Vesper warns me making me furrow my brow confused by his words as he simply shakes his head, not willing to tell me more.
"Damn right you learned from the best of the best. So, I guess this is it." He exclaims as I nod slicing into the open air, my ears hearing the faint woosh of air, being cut by the fine scissors as a familiar portal is open before me.
"You sure you don't want to come. I'm sure there are plenty of romance novels you can find?" Teasingly, I wiggle my brow as he rolls his eyes at me.
"Why read a novel when my whole life is a romance novel?" Confidently, he proclaims as I roll my eyes at the supposed playboy as he flaunts himself to be.
"Still you have patience much more than me to read the lord of the ring series…" Honestly, I confess impressed.
"You could say I learned to be patient." Simply, he shrugs making me furrow my brow but shrug it off deciding it best not to ask, a part of me knowing I won't get an answer from him.
"I guess I'll see you." I sigh stepping back offering him the staff only for my eyes to widen when his big claws gently place themselves on top of my own, stopping me from returning the weapon.
"Keep it you'll need it more than me," Gently, he tells me as I nod my head, my brow furrowed as I slam the butt of the staff down into the soft snow hearing a familiar crunch, I will definitely miss. My eyes widen when the metallic staff slots in on itself turning into some sort of pill or something as I shove it into my pocket.
"Ash just know if we do meet again. I can't promise we'll be on the same side…" Warily, he warns me just as I am about to step through as I nod my head.
"Yeah, I get that after all you're a simple mercenary making their way into the world…" Cheekily, I remind him making him smirk slyly.
"Good you catch on quick keep that and you'll live longer than most." He advises me.
"Thanks…for everything I hope you find what you're looking for." Grateful, I bow my head.
"Thanks, until then." He nods his head as I leave him walking through the portal and leaving through the portal returning home to find…